#DamnDaniel! Back at It Again with the White Vans!

Every month there is a new video or meme that instantly becomes popular throughout the Internet. An Internet meme is defined as an activity, concept, catchphrase or piece of media that gains traction and spreads rapidly via the Internet. If you are active on any of the main social media platforms such as Facebook, Twitter or Instagram, it is very likely that you have come across several of these memes/videos before. This type of trend tends to spread like wildfire and everyone gets involved in some way whether they are making a meme of their own or engaging with existing content.

The new viral sensation “Damn Daniel” has taken Twitter by storm the past couple of weeks. The video focuses on a California teenager recording his friend Daniel while commenting on his fresh sneakers, specifically his white vans. The voiceover DAAAAMN Daniel is consistent throughout the 30-second video- and is absolutely hilarious! Since being posted, the original video has over 290k retweets/370 likes and has gained the attention of celebrities and brands.

If you are still unaware of what a meme is, here are some notable ones that have gained popularity over the past couple of months:

Remember the memes and videos that were made from Drake’s Hotline Bling music video?

The unique thing about all of these memes is that they become what they are naturally. There is no marketing or money spent to grow the trend. It becomes popular because the masses simply think it’s funny and want to become apart of it in some way. This brings us to the most popular meme to date, “Damn Daniel.”

Due to its popularity, everyone on Twitter has been incorporating his or her own little twist into the new trend. When content like this is created, it only causes the meme to become more popular on social media. As more and more people see pictures of the same teenager or the white vans they will ultimately become aware of the original “Damn Daniel” video.

Clorox, Axe, Vans and many other brands have decided to take advantage of this trend by incorporating it into their social content. This is not the first time brands have decided to capitalize on a hot trend like this. The younger crowd loves when companies stay on top of what’s popular and decide to think outside of the box when branding their products. Who doesn’t love Puppy Monkey Baby?

This brings up the question whether more brands should do the same. When analyzing the engagement on some of these posts, it is safe to say that it works very well. Brands want to be able to “fit in” on social, so when there is an opportunity to do so, they should take full advantage of it. Social media platforms are a voice for the people, so whenever they can be part of a conversation, it is worthy to do so.

The “Damn Daniel” story does not end there! The video has become so big that many people are trying to profit off it. You can purchase a Damn Daniel t-shirt on Ebay for $21.99. Also, many Ebay sellers have been auctioning off their used White Vans to try and capitalize on the “Damn Daniel” craze, and it seems to be working. There is current bid of over $300,700 as of February 23, 2016.

Just like every other popular meme, it will eventually die down and people will forget about it. Many people will hate on the meme and find it annoying after a couple of weeks, but if you can’t beat it, join it! Stay up to date on more of the latest social media trends on the TB Blog!

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